President’s Message – October 2024
Greetings my fellow AESES members! Rob Parker here, your newly minted AESES President. It is both my honour and privilege to be serving you in this role for the current Board term.
I am keenly aware of the large shoes I have to fill, as our late president, leader, and friend Chris McCann’s influence and impact were far-reaching. Rest assured; I will do my very best not to let you down. Chris’ passing has affected us all in AESES quite profoundly, and grief can be a very lonely and isolating process. His memorial service was quite cathartic though, as it was so well attended that it became obvious that no one there was alone in their grief and sadness. We were all there for each other. This is precisely how Chris, and certainly I, feel about AESES.
We’re in this together. We are here for you. You are not alone.
With the arrival of fall comes a new term and a renewed energy on our campuses. This is no less the case with AESES, as we look for ways to connect with you. We have several Brown Bag Lunches planned over the coming months, as well as a recent New Members’ Meeting on October 2nd.
There is also no shortage of social and educational activities coming up. Everything from our Education Seminars (some which are already sold out and new ones have just opened!) to our legendary (and renamed), AESES 2024 Children’s Winter Holiday Extravaganza are on tap for the fall term. More exciting announcements and activities are to come. Please watch for communications and follow us on social media for further updates.
Of course, our primary mission is to ensure that your interests, concerns, and priorities are well-represented and protected as we navigate the peaks and valleys that come with being employed in post-secondary education. We all experience challenges and invariably have questions regarding what rights and protections we are afforded in the workplace. We also want to be sure that our best interests are represented when it’s time to bargain for a better, more equitable deal for us all. Always remember: We’re in this together. We are here for you. You are not alone.
I sincerely look forward to meeting and working with many of you over the coming months. Please feel free to reach out to me, your board rep, or anyone at the AESES Business Office should you have any questions or concerns, or should you need advice regarding workplace issues.
In solidarity
Rob